Drying machine of the air circulating, rotary drum, and enclosing casing type



Apnl 6, 1948. E. w. FORNEY 2,438,995

DRYING MACHINE OF THE AIR CIRCULATING, ROTARY DRUM AND ENCLOSING CASINGTYPE Filed Sept. 2, 1943 x 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 EWFornei Momma;

April 6, 1948. E. w. FORNEY 2,433,995

DRYING MACHINE OF THE AIR CIRCULATING, ROTARY DRUM AND ENCLOSING CASINGTYPE Filed Sept. 2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r r v 9' 2/ A5 EWFarne Apnl 6,1948. w FORNEY 2,438,995

DRYING MACHINE OF THE AIR CIRCULATING, ROTARY DRUM AND ENCLOSING CASINGTYPE Filed Sept. 2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a I I I I 1 I I I I I I I s II I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I 5 5 1 s" I 5 7 1 4 I s I I I I i III I I I]ll I I/I/ III/ I I/I Ill/I/lf/l/ II I fybfl nwuauhw, E WFOT'II 6.9

Patented Apr. 6, 1948 DRYING MACHINE on THE AIR CIRCULAT- mo, ROTARYDRUM, AND ENCLOSING CASING TYPE Elbridgc W. Forney, Canton, OhioApplication September 2, 1943, Serial No. 500,981

2 Claims. (Cl. 34-439) This invention relates to a washin machine- It isprimaril aimed to combine in such a machine or produce a single machineorunit which will not only wash clothes but also will enable rinsing,cleaning, starching, and drying of the clothes, without the necessity ofremoving the clothes from the machine or touching them by hand.

It is further aimed to provide such a machine using a cylinder withnovel means for moving the clothes and dropping them, also enabling theadmission of air and effecting the pouring of liquid thereon. v Stillfurther it is aimed to provide in such a machine a cylinder with meansto rotate it, and means disposed axially thereof at the opposite ends,one of which is capable of. being opened or closed, depending on theparticular operation and whether or not air'is to be blown through themachine.

One more important object is to provide a machine wherein through itsoperation clothes which have been dryed will be ejected automatically.

I further provide novel means for the introduction of water and cleaningmaterials, for the dissemination of the heat from a motor to theinterior of the cylinder or drum, and means for the drainage of waterfrom the machine.

Various additional objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment,

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the improved machine in end elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken 'on the plane of line.2--2 of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane of line 3-3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the plane of line 44 of Figure2;

Figure .5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; i

Figure 6 is a detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in sectionlooking toward the closure for the clothes-discharge opening;

Figure 8 is a detail section taken on th line 8--8 of Figure l;'and

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the sediment receptacle used inthe washing chamber.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, my improved machine employs a casinggenerally designated i0 which may be of any suitable size or shape andwhich preferably is rectangular or square as shown, having dependinglegs at ll preferably equipped with usual castors l2. A suitable coveror closure is provided at I3, for instance hinged as at M to one sideand a handle l6 being used on the cover or closure l 3 to facilitatemanipulation.

Suitable aligned openings are provided in two 2 of the side walls of thecasing i0, and fastened therein are similar bearing frames IT and i8.preferably of U shape in cross-section with outermost flanges i9 weldedor otherwise suitably secured against the outer surfaces of the adjacentside walls.

The other outwardly extending flanges of said bearing frames i1 and i 8are shown at 20 and are inwardly spaced from such adjacent side walls.Such bearing frames l1 and iii are preferably round, and joumaledthereon for rotation is a suitable foraminous or perforated cylinder 2!in which the clothes or articles under treatment are adapted to becontained during washing or any of the other operations permissible inthe machine. Such cylinder 2! has aligned central openings in its endsmarginally followed by outwardly extending annular flanges 22, which arepreferably thickened by interposed rings 23 fastened thereto, whichrings are directly journaled on the bearing frames i1 and I8 overlappedby the flanges 20 and the adjacent side walls of the casing or tub Iii.

Extending inwardly and radially from the cylindrical wall of theperforated cylinder 2i are any desired number of agitators or nozzles24. These nozzles are of any desired size and generally taper inwardly,being open at the periphery of the cylinder so that water or fluid andair may be collected in the nozzle as the cylinder rotates and may passtherefrom and discharge through outlet openings 25 at a side thereofonto the clothes or other articles.

The clothes or articles to be washed or otherwise treated in the machineare introduced into the cylinder through the bearing ring it. It is tobe noted that such. bearing ring is equipped with any suitable closure26, preferably imperforate and hinged to the casing III as at 21, whileinwardly of the closure 28 is an open mesh or perforated closure 28 alsoadapted to cover the bearing frame i8. Said closures 26 and 28 arecapable of individual operation, and each has any conventional latchmeans to secure it against accidental opening. The closure 28 is hingedat 29 to the bearing ring l8.

Water, detergent materials, starch, or the like may be introduced intothe machine through the bearing ring ill or through an inlet as at 29'provided adjacent the top of one of its side walls.

Within the casing l0, beneath and substantially concentric with thecylinder 2i, is a concave bottom 30 which combines with portions ofopposite side walls of the casing to form a trough adapted to be filledwith water or a cleansing liquid to the level indicated by line 32. Adrain cock 33 is mounted in one of said side walls just above the levelof the lowermost part of bottom 30 and by which the liquid may bedrained from said trough.

A shelf 35 is fastened to the exterior of one side wall of the casing I0and extends outwardly therefrom; in combination with a hood 36 alsofastened to such wall it forms a housing for a motor such as an electricmotor 31, access to the latter and adjacent parts being permissiblethrough an opening normally covered by a closure 38, hinged at 39 to thehood and secured in place by a resilient latch at 40 carried by theshelf 35.

The main shaft 4| of said motor 31 has a pulley 42 keyed thereto andalso a fan 43 keyed thereto, in line with the opening of the bearingframe H; which latter is covered by metallic mesh, gauze, or the like asat 44. The closure 38 contains an inlet opening for air which is 'drawntherethrough by fan 43 and directed through the mesh fabric 44, throughcylinder 2| and out through the opening of the bearing l8, when closure26 is in an open position,

As perhaps best shown in Figure 4, an endless belt 45 traverses thepulley 42, and pulleys 46 are keyed on shafts 41 disposed parallel toeach other and extending across the casing I0 and journaled in suitablebearings 48 in the adjacent end walls of such casing.

Keyed on shafts 41 are pulleys 49 whoseperipheries are in direct drivingcontact with the periphery of the cylinder 2|. The peripheries of thepulleys 49 may be of rubber or any other material frictionally to engagethe periphery of the cylinder, and in order to stabilize the latter eachpulley 49 preferably has an outwardly extending flange 50 at one end,overlapping the end of-the cylinder 2 I.

The agitators 24 separate the clothes and prevent their rolling into aball or bun-die, as well as acting as nozzles to admit water and airfreely to the clothes, breaking the rolling orbit of clothes, causingthem to separate right and left of the orbit and lifting the clothes anddropping them into the water and in the path of air currents from thefan.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the present machine maybe used for washing and cleaning clothes and as well forrinsing clothes,starching them, and drying them, all within the same machine, withoutremoving the clothes therefrom or touching them by hand. When washingclothes the casing contains water to the line 32 so that the clotheswill be immersed therein, being pulled through'the same and droppedthereinto through the revolving of the drum or cylinder 2|, the watercontaining soap or any other detergent desired. At the same time theclothes while undergoing the washing, as well as all other operations,are subjected to the action of air induced by fan 43 and also heated toa certain extent by the motor 31. After cleaning and washing the liquidmay be drained through the outlet 33. In rinsing the action is the same,with the exception that only clean water is contained in the casing upto the level 32, and after use may be drained through the connection 33.

In starching the clothes the action is the same as in connection withwashing and rinsing, ex-

.4 cept that the water contains a suitable amount of starch. I'n dryingthe clothes, however, the action is the same as for washing andrinsing,except that no liquids are present, and the door 26 is open whereby thefan 43 drives air'through the cylinder and clothes, agitating thereinand out through the perforated or foraminous door 28, carrying moisturetherewith. Starch-breaking is effected by the continual agitation oraction of the clothes when drying, since such agitation keeps theclothes pliable and does not allow stiifening thereof when dryingalthough they still contain the starch. When the clothes are wet theyare too heavy'to be blown out of the machine by the fan 43. However,when the clothes are sufliciently dry they are sufficiently light forthe fan 43 to blow them out and expel them through the bearing frame 18,with the mesh or foraminous closure 28 open.

Various changes may be resorted to provided that they fall within thespirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A machine of the class described comprising a casing having oppositewalls each provided with an opening, a cylinder disposed ,within thecasing and having side walls provided with central flanged openings,annular frame members fixed in the casing wall openings and havingoutwardly opening annular channels for receiving and journaling theflanges of the cylinder openings for rotatably mounting the cylinder inthe casing, the opening of one of the flange members providing means forapplying'clothes and removing clothes from the cylinder, and a closurefor said opening.

2. A machine as in claim 1, means disposed externally of the casing forinducing and directing a stream of air axially therethrough, the otherframe member forming an entrance for the air, means for revolving thecylinder, and means disposed internally of the cylinder and'adapted toengage and elevate articles of cloth, contained in the cylinder, and torelease said articles so as to be conveyed by gravity across the airstream.

ELBRIDGE W. FORNEY.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 730,588 Vial June 9, 19031,128,101 Burns Feb. 9, 1915 1,151,203 'Lofquist Aug. 24, 1915 1,547,655Johnston July 28, 1925 1,567,709 Carroll Dec, 29, 1925 1,655,514 SeifertJan. 10, 1928 1,664,098 Yates Mar. 27, 1928 1,696,172 Morrison Dec. 18,1928 2,053,912 Manly Sept. 8, 1936 2,066,998 Nash et a1. -e'- Jan. 5,1937 2,108,084 Strobridge Feb. 15, 1938 2,111,037 Zimarik Mar. 15, 19382,137,376 Altorfer Nov. 22, 1938 2,262,186 Lindberg Nov.-11, 19412,310,680 Dinley Feb. 9, 1943 2,372,790 Morgenstern Apr. 3, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country "Date 336,679 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1930

